1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to eyewear, and more specifically to eyeglasses specially designed for hunting, fishing and other similar outdoor activities.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hunters, fishermen and other sportsmen face a variety of obstacles while pursuing their hobbies that mandate the use of a variety of protective devices. Among the dangers they face, eye injuries are a quite common occurrence. As a result, protective eye wear is often used to shield the user from the injuries associated with these activities. However, for the most part these devices, usually in the form of sunglasses, are large, bulky and lack the styling that is desired by many of today's outdoorsmen. While they do provide shading, polarization and ultraviolet light protection, several problems exist that make their use somewhat impractical. The eyeglasses often are not secured to the wearer to a degree sufficient to maintain their position on the wearer's head during the rigors of outdoor use. The glasses often fog up during use in damp, low-lying areas, during the early morning and evening hours when dew and fog are prevalent as well as in cold or humid environments. The glasses often draw attention to the wearer, defeating any camouflaging in a hunting scenario. Finally, prescription lenses are often not available in eyeglasses specifically designed for hunting and fishing purposes. Accordingly there is a need for a means by which hunters, fishermen and other outdoor sporting enthusiasts can acquire protective eye wear that affords them the protective features of conventional models while overcoming the drawbacks associated with the use thereof. The development of the present invention fulfills this need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, several references to ventilated and antifogging eye wear designs were discovered. These devices neither anticipate nor disclose any embodiment that would preclude the novelty and utilitarian functionality of the features of the present invention.
The following patents describe the function and design of fog-resistant sunglasses, eyeglasses, or sports goggles with means for ventilation:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,145 issued in the name of Jannard et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,668 issued in the name of Mage; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,775 issued in the name of Bolle; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,320 issued in the name of Allendorf et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,718 issued in the name of Wichers; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,443 issued in the name of McNielly; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,294 issued in the name of Yolk; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,027,037 issued in the name of Gottlieb; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. D 380,227 issued in the name of Bolle; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. D 331,765 issued in the name of Canavan et al.
All of the above listed patents, with the exception of the '443 patent issued to McNielly, disclose eye wear that incorporate the use of ventilation apertures that allow air to flow there through, eliminating the accumulation of water vapor on the eye wear lenses. The McNielly disclosure discloses the incorporation of a small electric fan in conjunction with ventilation apertures that facilitate a more efficient anti-fogging means. While several features exhibited within these references may be incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, the present invention is sufficiently different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art.